The Social Dimension of

Science and Technology

Science, Technology and Society

The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

OBJECTIVES
At the end of the chapter, students shall have been able to:

1 Define the basic concepts of society, culture, science, and technology;

2 Utilize various frameworks in explaining the relationship of science

and technology to society and culture;

Describe the diversity of science and technology across cultures in

3
different places at different periods of time.

Science, Technology and Society

 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

O
V
E Society
R
and
V
I Culture
E
W

Science, Technology and Society

 The Social Dimension of Science and
Technology

interacting with others in a

distinct geographic territory

refers to an autonomous group of people and sharing a common culture

The Social Dimension of Science and
Technology

Ways of acting

The ways of Materials

thinking objects

Together form the people’s way of life

 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Cultures are diverse and thus vary across different places

…on how children are nurtured

Science, Technology and Society

 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Cultures are diverse and thus vary across different places

…how people marry

Science, Technology and Society

 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Cultures are diverse and thus vary across different places

…what people believe in

Science, Technology and Society

The Social Dimension of Science and
Technology

Some of the factors contributing to cultural diversity

how people manage to utilize what is found in

Physical Environment their immediate environment in order to respond to
their needs
The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

the processes of harnessing resources in

order to respond to society’s needs

Science, Technology and Society

 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

The knowledge utilized to harness

The resources

Science, Technology and Society

The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

ASPECTS of

Material Non-Material
are those objects produced as how the objects were produced and
a result of technology the processes and functions involved
Science, Technology and Society
The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

refers to the body of knowledge

utilized to understand the world.

Natural Science Social Science

Science, Technology and Society

The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Meteorology,
etc. Anthropology Sociology
Physics

Biology

Chemistry Economics Social History

Sciences

Natural
Sciences Political
Psychology
Geology Science

Science, Technology and Society

 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Generally, the term science is used

to refer to understanding natural
phenomena including the world of
plants and animals, geological
formations, how life began,
composition of substances, among
others. Early social thinkers utilized the methods of the
natural sciences to understand the social
world
Natural
Sciences

Science, Technology and Society

The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Science has been instrumental in the development of

technologies

Science, Technology and Society

 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

ARTIFACTS OR
MATERIAL CULTURE
as Component of Culture →The objects produced by
technology

includes the various processes which

a group of people use to harness the
environment to produce objects and
systems that could be utilized to
respond to human needs in society.

Science, Technology and Society

 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

as Component of Culture

MODERN
TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY

Science, Technology and Society

The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

as Component of Culture

Stone Tool Technology

Science, Technology and Society
The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

as Component of Culture

use of plants for healing purposes by indigenous peoples

Science, Technology and Society

The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

as Component of Culture

Irrigation systems
Science, Technology and Society
The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

as Component of Culture

In a sociological and anthropological sense, technology is

one aspect of culture from the distant past until the
present, based on the existing knowledge systems, now
referred to as “science”, of specific societies.

Science, Technology and Society

 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Linking Science, Technology and Society

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308961638_Harnessing_Science_Technology_and_Innovations_STI_for_Sustainable_Industrial_and_Economic_Development/figures?lo=1
The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Three Perspectives in the Analysis of

Society and Culture (Sociology)

Symbolic Interactionism

Structural Functionalism

Conflict Analysis
The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Three Perspectives in the Analysis of Society and Culture

(Sociology)

Symbolic Structural
Conflict
Interactionist Functionalist
Society is made up of
Society is made up of Society is made up of
individuals who interact
interrelated conflicting groups with
with each other using
systems/institutions with unequal levels of power,
symbols with
corresponding functions wealth and prestige
corresponding meanings

Social Problems are Social Problems are Social Problems are

caused by different caused by a dysfunction caused by the
understanding of in one of the systems exploitation of the
symbols and their which affect all other inferior group by the
meanings systems dominant group
 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Three Perspectives in the Analysis of Society and Culture

(Sociology)

Symbolic
Interactionist

Society is made up
of individuals who
interact with each
other using
symbols with
corresponding
meanings symbols have meanings for people in society based on
their respective cultures.
 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Three Perspectives in the Analysis of Society and Culture

(Sociology)

Structural
Functionalist For example if the economy is in crisis, it affects
the political institution, education and all other
social institutions. Just like a car engine, if there is
Society is made
up of interrelated one part that is not functional, it cannot function
systems/ as a whole.
institutions with
corresponding
functions
 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Three Perspectives in the Analysis of Society and Culture

(Sociology)

Conflict For example, it views poverty as a result of exploitation

Analysis of the lower class (workers) by the powerful class
(capitalists).

focuses on unequal
relationships among
groups or categories
of people to explain
what is happening in
society.
The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Specific views on the relationship between

science and technology with society and culture

Technological Somnambulism

Technological Determinism

Social Construction of Technology

 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Specific views on the relationship between science and

technology with society and culture

denies the various ways by which

Technological Somnambulism
technology provides structure and
explained by Langdon Winner, a political scientist meaning for human life.

HUMANS TECHNOLOGY
 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Specific views on the relationship between science and technology with

society and culture

Technological Determinism Technology is viewed as the main

determinant of a society’s history and
was coined by Thorstein Veblen, the driving force of its culture
an American sociologist and economist

TECHNOLOGY
 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Specific views on the relationship between science and technology with

society and culture

Social Construction of Technology

arose as a contrasting view to
technological determinism introduced by
Wiebe Bijker and Trevor Pinch in 1984
emphasizes the importance of social
context in the development of new
technologies viewed as a product of
social processes involving several
social groups
 The Social Dimension of Science and Technology

Specific views on the relationship between science and technology with

society and culture

Social Construction of Technology argues that technological innovation is

arose as a contrasting view to
technological determinism introduced by
Wiebe Bijker and Trevor Pinch in 1984
a complex process wherein both
technology and society negotiate the
meaning of new technologies; then
make changes to technology through
resistance; and lastly construct social
and technological frameworks, actions
and practices.
EXERCISE

Analyze the following statements and

identify whether the perspective used is
Technological Determinism (TD) or Social
Construction of Technology (SCOT). Write
the corresponding answers on the space
provided before each number:
► the use of the Internet in recent
history From being restricted to
military purposes, it was later adapted
by software programmers. Today, it is
used for many more purposes, like
personal chatting, by governments to
monitor their citizens, corporations for
advertising their services to customers,
and even for unethical purposes like
hacking of bank accounts. This proves
that the use of technology varies with
need. SCOT
► Some historians believe that the
discovery of the Americas by
Christopher Columbus at the turn of
the 15th century was largely due to
advances in shipbuilding technology
preceding this period. TD
► how the invention of the stirrup (foot-
support for horse-riders) brought about the
development of feudal societies (military rule
by nobles) in history Before its invention,
riders weren't able to use swords or spears
on horseback, as they risked losing balance.
However, the invention of the stirrup at the
turn of the 8th century AD enabled armored
knights to fight on horseback, and ensured
the development of cavalry. Ancient feudal
societies were guarded by such well-armed
knights. TD
► The invention of the automobile brought
about the development of suburban US. The
first models were restricted to the wealthy
and researchers, without affecting the
general public. However, after they became
more common, the government had to step
in, lay and widen roads, and make licensing
laws, which had a permanent effect on the
society and landscape. TD
► While the manufacture of the male
contraceptive pill has been possible for
science since a long time, its production and
use is rare, because of contraceptive usage
and responsibility being restricted to
women by social norms. SCOT
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